Animal Facility

Patricia Glennon Email:
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Phone: (212) 650-3981

Description of the FacilityFACILITIES The main Facility is conventional in design and located on the 15th floor of North Building. Rooms are available for housing, testing, quarantine, and technical or surgical procedures. Satellite housing space for animals involved in specialized physiological or behavioral research is located on the 6th floor of the North Building. The College also has a single animal room at its Brookdale Campus where the Health Sciences Program is located. The facility staff provides animal husbandry services and monitors all animals daily. Fees for this routine care are charged on a per diem basis. Technical services are offered on a fee-for-service basis.

TRAININGAn introduction to the basics of laboratory animal research is required before embarking on an animal-related project. All individuals who plan to work with laboratory animals at Hunter must be trained and approved by the IACUC. Courses are offered by the animal facility manager and veterinary technician, and include instruction on general handling of animals and specific topics such as rodent injection, anesthesia and aseptic surgical technique.

ORDERING ANIMALS All animals must be obtained from approved vendors. The Facility Manager has sole authority to order animals. To place an order, fill out the animal purchase approval form and send it to Barbara Wolin. Animal Order forms must be received by Wednesday afternoon of the week prior to delivery . Transfer of animals from other institutions must be approved and arranged by the Facility Manager.

THE IACUC (http://research.hunter.cuny.edu/IACUC.htm) The Hunter College Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee is responsible for oversight of all aspects of animal and use. The committee draws its members from faculty with experience in animal studies, the facility manager, the college veterinarian, the college safety officer, a non-science faculty member, a non-affiliated community member, and a student representative. The Chair and all members are appointed by the college president. The IACUC conforms to the general public health service guidelines (PHS policy at IV.A.3.B) concerning membership. IACUC responsibilities include the inspection of the animal facilities as well as all laboratories that use animals. The IACUC must approve all protocols before animals may be ordered or used and must certify that all individuals are appropriately trained.

The IACUC meets regularly to review all research or educational use of vertebrate animals at the college. This may include work with animals that is performed at other institutions by Hunter faculty and students. No use of animal can begin without the written approval of the IACUC.

New animal proposals must be submitted to the IACUC using the animal new protocol form. Protocols must be reviewed by the committee at its meetings and may be approved for up to three years but require review of annual updates. Continuation beyond three years requires a new protocol submission. Minor changes to approved protocols such as addition of personnel or addition of animals must be submitted in writing to the IACUC for approval. Researchers who use the same basic animal procedure in more than one protocol may submit a single special techniques protocol form. All individuals working on animal protocols must be trained and approved by the IACUC before they may work with animals. Guidelines for writing and submitting animal protocols and for determining the optimal number of experimental animals needed are available. For protocols that involve survival surgery consult the policy on survival surgery and consult with the veterinarian. It is recommended that protocols should be submitted at least two months prior to the starting date of the project to provide sufficient time for IACUC review and possible modifications needed for approval.

FAQIs IACUC approval needed for use of animals in teaching activities? Yes

My grant is for 4 years can I get IACUC approval for 4 years as well? No, NIH mandates that every project receive full review and new protocol every 3 years. My research involves collaboration on animal use at another instiuttion. Do I need IACUC approval? Yes My animals are used for learning studies and are heathy after being used. Can I give these to other researchers for their studies? Only if both you and the designated study have prior IACUC approval. May I bring animals in that were bred at other research institutions? Yes but only with approval of the veterinian. Animals that will be housed in the facility must be kept in quarantine (6 - 8 weeks).